How Does Your Garden Grow?

We're at just over a month since we planted the veggie garden, so I thought I'd give you an update on the situation out there.

Truth be told, this set of pictures was actually taken last week, and they've grown an incredible amount even since then. We've got some serious growth goin' on. The squash has bloomed, several tomatoes and peppers have flowered, the lettuce is doing great, and nothing seems to have died. Sooo, we've got that goin' for us (she says as if she wishes Bill Murray would crash HER bachelor party).

On the "are you KIDDING me?!" front, however, our love of animals has bitten us in the heiny. Dave has taken to putting food out for some of the neighborhood cats (I know, I know...but...), and while they've never been an issue with the garden in the past, they decided to get down and dirty this year. I'm talkin' potty.

So, of course after attempting to dig out the problem *ahem, ahem* and hope and pray that we don't end up dead-by-cat, we tried a couple of things.

Straight vinegar sprayed around the perimeter.

Nada.

We discussed a plethora of options, from sticking a million plastic forks in (um...no) to sprinkling hot pepper around (I read that it's toxic; I don't want to hurt/kill them, for crying out loud), and finally, one that we're testing now...

Netting.

Dave's mom gave it to us, and I can't believe he used ALL of it. I haven't grabbed any shots, but just envision white netting and barely being able to envision a garden underneath.

I guess it doesn't really matter, since a) it seems to be working (it didn't even collapse when one of the kittens decided to attack what I'm hoping was just a butterfly that had landed atop it), b) it's the best way to still allow light and water in without allowing, y'know, the nastiness in, and c) the garden ain't there to be purdy. Well. I mean, I enjoy looking at it, but ultimately, it's not the point.

Harvest time should be interesting, though. ;-) Of course, we will keep you posted!

Oh, and speaking of gardens, I'm finally getting to work in the front foundation bed. I know it's late in the season, but I've been super sick of the look of weeds, spent tulips, and general depressed landscaping. Besides, in our area, a hardy plant will last well into fall (barring any early frosts).

I'm kind of thinking that, in the fall, I'd like to divide and transplant the insanely huge hosta (I've never been able to keep one on the other side of the house to give it some symmetry, this one just gets too much sun) to the side other side of our front porch, near a boxwood bush. That way, that area's pretty much "planted"...for keeps. No matter what I do (well...except for tomato plants...ahem), it always seems sparse over there, so this'll kill feed two birds with one stone hamburger. One, get the obnoxious hosta out of the way. Two, fill in this tricky spot.

Look at that brain. Always a-clickin'.

Then, I can plant some ornamental grass and other lower-growing stuff in the front. Picture me Googling and pinning a buttloat of "small foundation garden" ideas. Truth be told, not finding much, but there's time.

So, what're you growing this summer? Anything good? Or are you hitting up the farmers' markets? I can't wait for the veggies to start coming in. With the new cholesterol fighting game we're playing, the organic store veg is starting to break the bank!